Feeler mechanism for looms



F. LACEY.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. 1919- 2SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

:umrso "STATES PATENT omcs.

FRED LACEY, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRABER CORPORATION, OF

\ HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented D 14 1920 Application filedNovember 14, 1919. Serial No. 337,993.

ment longitudinally of-the shuttle when the,

filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a feelermechanism of the general type indicated, wherein the means for effectingmovement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle when filling issubstantially exhausted on a detecting beat, is placed under tension byengagement with a part carried by the lay on each detecting beat. Thisfeature of the invention is carried, into practical effect in thepresent instance by means of a feeler controller which may engage theshuttle on its detecting beat and which is jointed to a memberyieldingly connected to the feeler. The member between the controllerandthe feeler is formed as a lever, one end .of which is connected to thecontroller and the other end of which preferably extends rearwardly andis connected to the feeler by a spring which is tensioned by movement ofthe controller on each detecting beat.

The above and other novel features "and combinations of partsconstitutingthe present invention will best be understood from thefollowing description and accompanying drawings of one good practicalform of the invention.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the feeler side of a loom, some ofthe parts being omitted because they are not intimately associated withthe feeler mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the action of the feelermechanism when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle ona detecting beat;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig.

2 showing the action of the feeler mechanism when the filling issubstantially exhausted on a detecting beat;

F 1g. 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

The loom frame 1 has secured thereto the brackets 2, one at each side ofthe loom in which is mounted the transverse or rock shaft 3 which may beof usual construction.

'Rising from the rock shaft 3 is the arm 4 having pivoted thereto at 5the latch 6 which, when-filling is substantially exhausted on adetecting beat, may be moved frontwarclly'by an operating member to rockthe transverse or rock shaft 3 and thereby effect replenishment offilling, as, usual in this class of looms.

In the present instance the operating member consists of the camfollower 7 or a part connected thereto having a slide 8 which enters arecess or opening 9 in the end of the latch 6. Extending transversely ofthe latch 6 and normally positioned at one side of the opening 9 is thehunter 10 adapted to slide transversely of the latch in a suitable Thefeeler stand 14, in the present in-' stance, provides bearings for acontroller 16. These bearings maybe variouslv formed and areconveniently provlded by the upstanding front and rear lugs 17 and 18formed on a plate 19 which may be secured to the feeler stand. Each ofthe lugs 17 and 18 is provided with an opening through which extends thecontroller 16 with freedom for reciprocating movement therein. A spring20 is interposed between the bearings 17 and a shoulder or pin 21 formedon or projecting from the controller 16, and the spring normallv acts tohold the controller in its rearward position, as indicated in Big. 1,but with permissive movement frontwardly when engaged by a part carriedby the lay on a detecting beat. The plate 19 may be connected to thefeeler stand 14 by means of the bolts 22, Figs. 2 and 3, which extendthrough a slot 23, whereby adjustment of the controller to properlyengage a part carried by the lay on each detectingbeat may beaccomplished.

Pivotally mounted on the feeler stand 14 at 24 is the feeler carrier 25on which the feeler 26 is mounted for relative movement toward and fromthe front of the loom. Rising from the feeler carrier 25 are the frontand rear bearing portions 27 and 28, respectively, through openings inwhich the feeler 26 extends. A spring 29 interposed between the frontbearings 27 and a stop or pin 30 secured to the feeler member 26, servesnor mally to maintain .the feeler 26 in its rear.

ward feeling position. The above construction of the feeler carrier andthe associated feeler provides a good practical form of means forpermitting the feeler to be moved in a direction longitudinally of theshuttle. The feeler 26 is provided with teeth 31 on ts rear end portion,which enter the shuttle on each detecting beat and feel for the fillingtherein. These teeth may be differently formed, the essential being thatwhen they detect a working supply of filling in the shuttle they willsink into the filling on a detecting beat and restrain movement ofv thefeeler longitudinally of the shuttle, but when filling is substantiallyexhausted on a detecting beat they will slip along the surface of thefilling carrier longitudinally thereof.

Mounted on thefeeler stand 14 at 32 is a lever which is independent ofthe feeler. One arm 33 of the lever extends laterally and is providedwith an opening or slot 34 through which passes a pin 35 extending fromthe controller 16, the construction being such that upon movement of thecontroller toward or from the front of the loom, the lever will be movedupon its pivotal mounting. The other arm 36 of the lever extendsrearwardly from the pivot 32 and "has connected to its rear end a rod37. The rod 37 is jointed to the rear end of the lever 36 by a pin 38which passes through the head portion 39 of the rod and is properly heldin place by a nut 40, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The present invention contemplates that the rear end'portion of thelever arm 36 shall have yielding connection with the feeler and in thepresentdnstance of the invention this is effected by a spring 41surrounding the rod 37 and having one end bearing against a shoulder 42and the other end against a collar 43 loosely mounted upon the rod 37The rod 3?.extends through an opening 44 in a lug or flange 45projecting upwardly from the feeler carrier 25 and is provided with ahead or stop 46, the construction being such that upon movement oftherear end 36 of the lever from the dotted to the full line position, Fig.2, when the feeler is restrained from its movementlongitudinally of theshuttle, the spring 41 will be compressed and placed under tension, andsuch tension will be transmitted to the feeler through theconnections'described, the rod 37 at such times being pushed laterallythrough the opening 44 of the feeler carrier.

Thefeeler is connected to the hunter 10 by means of a rod 47, one end ofwhich is jointed at 48 to the upstanding flange or lug 45 mounted on thefeeler carrier, the construction being such that should the feeler bemoved longitudinally of the shuttle, the rod 47 will be moved to placethe hunter 10 in the path of movement of the slide 8, Fig. 1, andthereby effect frontward movement of the latch 6 and rock the transverseshaft 3 to effect replenishment of filling.

Should'the feeler be moved in the manner stated to effect replenishmentof filling, it is desirable that the feeler be returned to its normalfeeling position, as indicated in Fig. 1, as the lay goes back. This iseffected in the present instance by means of the setting stop 46 on therod 37, which, as the rear end portion 36 of the. lever hereinbeforedescribed, is moved to the left in the dotted line position. Fig. 2,engages the flange 45 and pulls the feeler into its normal feelingposition. I

The lay 49 may be of usual construction and provided with an opening 50in its front wall which coincides with an opening 51 formed in theadjacent wall of the shuttle 52 and registering with the opening 50 whenthe shuttle is properly boxed at the detecting-side of the loom.

Vhen a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on adetecting beat, the feeler 26 enters the shuttle and the teeth 31thereof sink into the filling. The controller 16 then engages a partcarried by the lay, preferably the shuttle wall, and is movedfrontwardly thereby: The frontward movement of the controller 16 effectsa rocking movement of the lever from the position indicated in dottedlines to the position indicated in full lines, Fig. 2, and therebytensions the spring 41 which tends to move the feeler in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle. Owing to the presence of a working supplyof' filling, however, the feeler is restrained from responding to thetension of the spring 41. When the filling is substantially exhausted ona detecting beat. the feeler 26 will again contact with the surfacewithin the shuttle and the controller 16 will likewise be engaged andmoved frontwardly by the shuttle. The frontward movement of thecontroller acting through the lever thereupon tensions the spring 41, asbefore, and effects movement of the feeler in a direction longitudinallyof. the shuttle, as indicated in Fig. 3. This movement of the feeler istransmitted through the rod 47 to the hunter 10 which is thus placed inthe path of the slide 8 on the operating member to set in action thetrain of mechanism for replenishingfilling. As the lay goes back andreleases the controller to rearward movement under the action of itsspring 20, the pin 35 acting upon the lever arm 33 returns the lever toits dotted line position, Fig. 1, thereby pulling upon the rod 37 andcausing the stop 46 to return the feeler to its initial feelingposition.

Claims:

1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mountedfor movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held fromsuch movement on a detecting beat by engagement with the filling untilsubstantial exhaustion thereof, a feeler controller arranged to beengaged and moved frontwardly by a wall of the shuttle on each detectingbeat, and a lever having one arm connected to the controller and anotherarm yieldingly connected to the feeler tending to move the feeler in adirection longitudinally of the shuttle when the controller is movedfrontwardly.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mountedfor movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held fromsuch movement on a detecting beat by engagement with the filling untilsubstantial exhaustion thereof, a feeler controller arranged to beengaged and moved frontwardly by the shuttle on each detecting beat, alever connected to the controller, and a spring interposed between thelever and feeler and placed under tension by the frontward movement ofthe controller to move the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle when thefilling is substantially ex.

v hausted on a detecting beat.

3. In 'a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler pivotally mounted to movein a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held from 'suchmovement on a detecting beat by engagement with the filling untilsubstantial exhaustion thereof, a feeler controller arranged to beengaged and moved frontwardly by the shuttle on each detecting beat, alever pivoted independent of the feeler, a connection between thecontroller and one arm of the lever for swinging the lever on its pivoton each detecting beat, and a yielding connection between the feeler andthe other arm of the lever tending to move the feeler longitudinally ofthe shuttle when the controller is moved frontwardly on a detectingbeat.

4C. In a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler pivotally mounted to movein a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movementon a detecting beat by engagement with the filling until substantialexhaustion thereof, a feeler controller arranged to be engaged and movedfrontwardly by the shuttle on each detecting beat, a lever pivotedindependent of the feeler, a positive connection between the controllerand-one arm of the lever for swinging the lever on its pivot as thecontroller is moved frontwardly and rearwardly, and a spring between thelever and feeler placed under tension by swinging movement of the leveras the controller moves frontwardly and tending to move the feelerlongitudinally of the shuttle on each detecting beat,

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mountedfor movement longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movementon a detecting beat b engagement with the filling until substantialexhaustion thereof, a feeler controller arranged to beengaged and movedfrontwardly by the shuttle on each detecting beat, a spring forreturning the controller to rearward position, a lever one arm of whichis connected to the controller and the other arm of which is yieldinglyconnected to the feeler and tends to move the feeler longitudinally ofthe shuttle when the controller moves frontwardly, and a setting stopconnected to the lever for returning the feeler to feeling position whenthe controller moves rearwardly.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mountedfor movement longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movementon a detecting beat by engagement with the filling until substantialexhaustion thereof, a feeler controller arranged to be engaged and movedfrontwardly by the shuttle on each detecting beat, a spring forreturning the controller to rearward position, a lever mountedindependent of the feeler, means for connecting one arm of the lever tothe controller for positively turning the lever by frontward andrearward movement of the controller, a rod connected to the other arm ofthe lever and slidably connected to the feeler, a spring interposedbetween the feeler and said other arm of the lever arranged 'to beplaced under tension by frontward movement of the controller and tendingto move the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle on each detecting beat.

7. In a feeler mechanism, the combination of a pivotally mounted feelercarrier, at feeler yieldingly mounted on the carrier, a controllerarranged to be engaged and moved frontwardly by the shuttle on eachdetecting beat, a spring for returning the controller to rearwardposition, a lever having one end connected to the controller to causemovement of the lever as the controller is moved either frontwardly orrearwardly, a rod connected to the other end of the lever, a lug on thefeeler carrier through which the rod loosely extends, a stop head on therod, a spring between said other end of the lever and feeler carrierwhich is placed under tension by frontward movement of the controller.

combination of a feeler mounted for movement longitudinally of theshuttle and restrained from such movement on a detecting beat byengagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, acontroller arranged to be engaged and moved front- Wardly by a part onthe lay on each detecting beat, a spring for returning the controller torear position, a lever having one arm connected to the controller, andalonger 10 rearWardly extending arm yieldingly con-' nected to thefeeler and tending to move it longitudinally of the shuttle when thecon- "troller is moved fron'twardly. i In testimony whereof I havesigned my 15 name to this specification.

FRED LACEY.

